Nor is it related to 1980’s Civilization by Francis Tresham, or the 1991 rewrite Advanced Civilization by Bruce Harper.

It is, however, related to the video game series which was inspired by / partially based on / coincidentally unrelated to [1] the original Tresham game, and which in turn was the basis for the 2002 game.

Whichever testimony you choose to trust, the Tresham game must have had some influence upon the Meier version or they wouldn’t have given the promo leaflet with the videogame. I well believe that Meier (believes he) worked out his own mechanics from scratch, without basing them on the Tresham game. But two games with the same *name*, *theme* and *emphasis* goes far beyond coincidence in my book. There is a lineage here that deserves to be recognised.

Perhaps the best way to express the relationship between the two games is to say that the Meier game descends from the Tresham game… perhaps it is more likely that this issue will never be settled. :)